#AND GIVEN AN EPIC REDEMPTION ARC

[a-fantasy-lover-surfing-the-net]

Till the end of the moon review

I recently rewatched the drama and felt like reviewing the first Cdrama I ever watched. After watching some cdramas in the past 7 months since I first watched the drama, I now trust myself to write a decent enough review after somewhat familiarizing myself with the genre and overall cdrama space.

Rating: 9.5/10 (1000 bonus points for searing itself in my mind and staying there even after 7 months)

Acting: 10/10

Story: 9/10

Chemistry: 100000000/10

OST: 10/10

Costumes: 10/10

Hair & Makeup: 9.5/10

Production/Set Design: 10/10

Visual Effects/CGI: 10/10

Rewatch Value: 10/10

Li Susu, an immortal time travels 500 years into the past to prevent the ascension of the Devil god, who goes on to destroy the world in the future. It's a story of love and hate, good and evil, redemption and damnation. The characters are very well conceptualized and depicted beautifully by talented actors, stunning costumes, really good hair and makeup, and great cinematography. The amazing production and set design along with impressive visual effects and CGI really immerse the audience in the world of TTEOTM. This was a high budget drama and it shows... each and every frame of the drama, it feels lavish. If you are even a little bit interested go watch the first episode and l promise you'll be hooked and end up finishing the drama.

Now unto my spoiler filled thoughts:

I find it interesting that the typical backstory themes and some character arcs of the male lead and the female lead have been swapped here. The FL usually has a dead parent or abusive household or terrible luck and so on. The ML usually comes to the FL's rescue or stands up for her and so on. We all know that Tantai Jin is Disney Princess coded given his dead mother, abusive and neglectful upbringing and his animal telepathy powers. LSS both as Ye Xiwu and LSS repeatedly saves TTJ and stands for him. While TTJ also saves her many times, he does not get a chance to stand up for her because she usually takes care of herself and she is not suspected or wrongfully accused where she would need someone to support her. Also, TTJ basically became a part of LSS's family as her uncle took him under his wing and he promised to stay in Hengyang Sect with her in ep 35 before all hell breaks loose. And who can forget that LSS marks TTJ with her Phoenix mark, typical ML behavior.

Their romance is my ultimate enemies to lovers pairing. It has just the right amount of fighting, messiness, animosity and angst for me. I feel that other pairings don't have enough of it for me to consider them as an enemies-to-lovers couple. Their visuals, their chemistry, their acting and the story everything was so great. Who else has three epic weddings in one drama? I am still not able to move on from this couple and drama.

While the misunderstandings were obviously supposed to lead to a turning point in the story, I feel like it was in character for them to jump to conclusions and assume the worst without fully thinking things through and which then led to them acting rashly. I mean both TTJ and LSS had bad history between them so in the early stages of their relationship where their trust in each other was shaky, it's understandable that they were prone to misunderstandings. Also, they're both not good at communicating with each other. In the mortal arc, LSS was never fully honest with TTJ and they never addressed their past misdeeds properly (like OG Ye Xiwu was very cruel to TTJ and he never talked to her about it and just brushed it off). In the immortal arc, TTJ deceived LSS when he became the Devil God.

For the most part the story was gripping, progressed at a good pace and conveyed many themes that become apparent on rewatches. Though it was obvious that the last 5 episodes and the ending were rushed because the censorship rules changed as they went into production. This was one of those dramas that needed at least 5-10 more episodes to properly flesh out the story. It was a missed opportunity that we didn't get to see LSS ruling the Demon realm and Ami's antics.

Another victim of the decreased episode count is the arc of the second leads. Tbh, I wish that Pian Ran and Ye Qingyu were the SLs but I think I would have enjoyed seeing the complete character arc of Xiao Lin/Gongye Jiwu and Ye Bingchang/Mo Nv and the resolution between them. That said it was appalling that they didn't bring back Pian Ran and Ye Qingyu in the immortal arc. I really missed their dynamic with each other and with the main leads. It is disappointing that they didn't even get an open/ambiguous ending to give us some closure and satisfaction.

The actress did a phenomenal job in making us hate her as Ye Bingchang and Tian Huan. Those characters as villians really worked as they were in a way the ones who had the markings of the female lead (these characters at the start of their stories could easily be heroines in any other story) but they turn into villians. Tantai Minglang was a good, serviceable villian and the actor did a lot with how little he was given. Di Mian was selfish and manipulative traitor who was almost scarily competent. I mean he did achieve what he wanted by becoming the Devil God and opening the Tongbei formation. The point of Devil God as a villian is not his character and his motivations but rather he represents our inner demons and how each of us has the power to overcome them.

Out of all the dramas I've watched, only TTEOTM's entire OST is on my regular playlist to listen to. Every time I listen to "Let's be like this for 10,000 years", I feel the love and tragedy of Sang Jui and Ming Ye's story all over again. It's impressive that a song can make you relive those feelings and the story every time you listen to it. All the songs fit wonderfully in the scenes they're played over and also make us feel those emotions again when listening to them separately.

On my first watch, the dream arc felt a little out of place and jarring, which, in hindsight, was probably due to the fact that it was my first cdrama. Upon rewatch I've come to appreciate that it gives a look into the age of Gods and it shows that the Devil God was so powerful that to stop him the Gods had to sacrifice themselves and only Ming Ye was able to survive. The action sequences here are just magnificent to watch and they definitely seem movie level. It also serves as a warning to the audience, LSS and TTJ that they could also have a tragic end if they don't learn the lessons from it. Unfortunately, in the mortal arc they did have a tragic end. However, in the immortal arc, TTJ is able to learn from his experience as Ming Ye and succeeds in defeating the OG Devil God and becoming the Devil God himself with control over his own destiny.

One of the most prominent themes of the drama is redemption and that love and compassion are powerful enough to change a person's fate. The themes of Taoism and Buddhism are evoked throughout the drama. There are also many other minor themes like the food is used as a guesture kindness (when LSS first gives TTJ a proper meal), affection/care (when TTJ gave LSS the goose themed meal), love (when LSS gives badly cooked meals to TTJ), betrayal and trickery (the poisoned porridge) and comraderie, friendship, brotherhood and familial love (when TTJ shares meals with his sect brothers and master). Both TTJ and LSS have dead moms, terrible fathers and great adoptive dads (Zhao You and Qu Xuan Zi), these are just some observations I made.

I may not love the ending but I don't hate it either as it was obvious to me that they reunite once again and live happily as a family (the audio ending really makes it clear). Even though I'm irritated we don't get to see it, I'm still satisfied that we get a hopeful ending rather than a tragic one.

Until now I've mostly been lurking in fandom spaces by liking and very rarely commenting and reblogging but never posting my own original post. The fact that my first ever post is on TTEOTM shows how much I love it. I'll probably be posting more TTEOTM analysis stuff so be on the look out for that if you're interested. Also, I welcome your recommendations as I'm still a newbie to cdramas and kdramas.

You can also check out my costumed cdrama rankings here.

#till the end of the moon #tantai jin #ye xiwu #luo yunxi #bai lu #cdrama #cdrama review #tteotm

[sbbarnes]

Hockey Romances. Why?

So I was taken out of work a couple weeks ago due to ~pregnancy stuff~ (mostly just stress, the baby and I are fine) which has left me with a lot of spare time on my hands. And as one does, I have been filling my time reading lgbtq+ romance novels. Because I can.

In this time, I have fallen headfirst into the hockey romance novel subgenre, and I ask myself, as I have done every time I see these books advertised, why? I am not a sports fan. One time, my husband was watching football (European), and a team in red kits was playing against yellow kits, and I started laughing because "it looks like ketchup is playing against mustard". His expression was great, but he hasn't taken me seriously since.

So why is hockey of all things such a draw for the mlm romance subgenre? Especially given the NHL's apparent fear of rainbow tape? Why do I now know what the word "celly" refers to and what an "enforcer" is? Why why why?

Here are my answers:

Extremely organic way to set up some of the most classic romance tropes. Forced proximity? Being on the same team takes care of that. There was only one bed? Shared hotel rooms during away games. Enemies to lovers? Rival teams.

Lots of potential for drama given that players lead very transient lives in terms of the constant possibility of trades. In mlm love stories, even more so given that the NHL is so blatantly homophobic.

Perfect level of fame. Fame and wealth as a draw for a love interest are kind of staples of the genre, and NHL players are famous, sure, but not all of them, and they aren't as famous as football stars (either kind of football). They are still filthy rich, which makes great wish fulfillment. You can have the sexy penthouse and the anonymity.

I would go on to talk about how different roles on the team lend themselves to different tropes (goalie = tightly controlled dude who needs someone to help him cut loose; enforcer = misunderstood fighter with a heart of gold; coach for all your forbidden love/sleeping with the boss desires) but that would very quickly reveal my utter lack of hockey knowledge, so let's not. Instead, here's a quick reclist.

Rachel Reid's Game Changers series. It's a classic in the genre for a reason and it has everything. Forbidden love? Got that, maybe the definitive example. Redemption arc? Got that. Misunderstood bruiser with a heart of gold? Got that. Age difference? Got that. Also really excellent sex scenes, not gonna lie, and satisfying endings throughout - sometimes a happy end will come a little suddenly for me, but these books really delivered, and the nice thing about how romance series are structured is that you get a little peek at what comes after for the couples in the other books.

2. Him, Us and Epic by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. This one surprised me, I don't generally go for first person POVs, but I did enjoy this! Coming-of-age story turned coming out story featuring a budding hockey star and his best friend. Lots of fun.

3. Scoring Chances series by Avon Gale. This series is fun in that it doesn't focus on the NHL, it actually focuses on the minor leagues in the southeast of the US, a place almost no one associates with ice hockey. As such, there's a chance to tell different stories about professional athletes who aren't super rich and famous, which I appreciate a lot. TBH the first pairing wasn't entirely my cup of tea, but I'm glad I kept going because I especially enjoyed the later books, which tackle tough topics (including eating disorders, abuse etc., so content warning for that). These are still romance novels though, so rest assured that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. What I especially appreciate is that these books don't have relationship drama, in that the main couples communicate and work together instead of a third act break-up-make-up!

4. Hockey Ever After series by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James. These are just great. Lots of fun to read, lots of cameos from character in later books, just excellent mood all around. Also features my favorite ever trope (secret relationship, sorry, anyone who knows me knows I am a sucker for it I just can't help myself) heavily, which is a win in my book. I especially enjoyed book two, "Scoring Position". Is that because Nico is German and I loved him? Is that because Ryan is my new blorbo? We may never know.

Happy reading and please give me recommendations for more books like these, I'm lowkey obsessed.

#lgbtq books #book review #lgbtq romance #mlm romance #hockey #hockey romance #mlm hockey romance #ashlyn kane #morgan james #winging it #sarina bowen #elle kennedy #scoring chances #avon gale #rachel reid #game changers #heated rivalry #tough guy #common goal #role model #breakaway #coach's challenge #empty net #power play #save of the game #scoring position #unrivaled

[totallyradicalmucky]

This is me giving you permission to talk about your SuperChargers AU!! Literally just anything about it!! I love seeing people’s different takes on what a Kaos redemption arc would look like. I still get so sad when I think about how Kaos just goes back to being evil in Imaginators. Like man c’mon. We could’ve had it all.

The power you’ve given me..unreal. But I think about a Kaos redemption arc pretty often since multiple people on here have talked about Kaos’s childhood and stuff like that.

Which is why I think in this Superchargers AU, instead of fighting Kaos before the darkness. You’d fight his mom.

I didn’t bring it up in this. But I wanted to talk about how maybe after Kaos’s button scene with the darkness. Kaos is still not entirely faithful to him, which means that the Darkness can’t get entirely in his head. To get everything he wants from him, for the absolute destruction of Skylands. Without that, Kaos is practically useless, not truely a devoted Kaos Clan member. Unlike his mother. Who at this point I believe the darkness could use as a manipulative way to get Kaos to do things for him and a threat, but only now sees her as a way to progress in his own plans.

The Darkness brings Kaossandra out of her prison, her devotion to the dark is far stronger than the absolute lack of affection she’d ever felt for her family. Taking away Kaos’s head-thing, they leave him with only the most weakest of magical powers on some random isle for him to hopefully die. You (The skylander) find him awkwardly standing there in his torn emperor robes, beaten up, and swearing to the ancients he hasn’t cried.

He doesn’t really have any other options other than to go with you, but he isn’t seen anywhere. Opting to stay inside the airship for a long while. Paranoid about the looming chance of the world ending at any minute, and the fact that it’s all his fault, missing Glumshanks. Flynn mentions him now and again, talking about how he’s feeling and not really eating. Cali doesn’t trust him, blaming him for their problems but she can’t help but feel a little bad. Hugo continues to assist with the next mission, fearing Kaos’s presence, but is curious about the lack of his usual ‘mark of darkness’.

Over the long run, which I mean Kaos being dragged along every trip and having to help Flynn and Cali unload and reload the airship with things. He warms up just a bit, standing in the overworld. Never-not next to one of the two, as the citizens still distrust him. (And he’s not good at being normally social on his own, not a fan of small talk) He’s still strange and egotistical, but less- evil. Kaos finds it strange that he can still preform magic without the mark of darkness, frustratingly weaker than before-but still magic. He often “steals” spell books from the archive, much to Hugo’s minor inconvenience. Since he always announces when he’s taking one.

I don’t really know how the ending would go specifically. But I know that Kaos would be furious, fed up with the endless manipulation from both his mother and The Darkness. Using familiar voices and faces to try and get him back on their side, he just can’t take it. Trapping his own mother inside the rift engine, the Darkness laughs believing that it’s tricked itself into being free forever.

[que epic fight sequence for Kaos and the Skylander that I’m too lazy to describe]

Being knocked out of the darkness’s rift thing from the very end of superchargers- the Skylander is fine. Having the portal master’s power to help them. But Kaos is scarred. Once again landing on the isle below, his arms and back, inky black with…whatever it is. As if to silently let him know that the darkness would be coming back. He doesn’t rlly care though, just staring at his hands. Taking in every decision he’s made this far, he almost regrets it, thinking about his mother. Until the voices of Cali and the others finally snap him out of it, with Flynn’s coat being draped over him. He didn’t even notice how destroyed he had become. Damn. Wait…does this mean he has to relearn magic again?

#mucktalk #skylanders #kaos skylanders #long post #skylanders superchargers #Kaos #erm… kinda cringe but idk #I’m a bit crazy #i really wrote 5 paragraphs about skylanders #nobody reading this #i’m so sorry #skylander #au talk #skylanders au

[borrelia]

@zerothejackal edited from my original propaganda draft:

Fleetway Super Sonic Is My Special Bleebo And Here's Why

Unlike most Super Sonics, Fleetway Super is actually a different character from Normal Sonic (he's still Sonic but I'll get to that).

Everyone knows Fleet's chaotic and destructive blah blah, an uncontrollable manifestation of chaos energy inside Sonic that appears when he's stressed or exposed to the emeralds. When he takes over, he has an insatiable and directionless desire to destroy until he exhausts himself and goes back to normal Sonic. For a while he was separated from Sonic into his own body, and given desire to remain that way.

Super is a Sonic overwhelmed by chaos energy, overwhelmed by power, and he is damn proud of that. Except... when he's stripped of all that power you actually get..!

Just the sweetest little guy. Without his chaotic and destructive powers, Fleet is still kind and selfless and wants to help people, he's still a Sonic. In his "redemption arc" (bad name. he doesn't do anything to be redeemed, we just learn he's nice actually), Fleet always puts others first and does his best to protect them, even from himself.

There is so much I can say from just this story, but the critical parts are this moment, the fact that his Evil Moments are triggered by emotional instability, and all the parts about how Ebony and Pyjamas love him so much. No one was hurt also :)

Also he got a job from/was adopted by those nice ladies :) They run a jazz cafe in Metropolis and were wanted by the Robotnik regime for terrorism <3 And Ebony supports Super so much 100% so a win for Super is a win for women (Ebony).

Anyway ultimately for plot reasons he gets reabsorbed by Sonic in a moment that is actually the most character development that ever gets to happen in STC, a moment that makes Sonic take responsibility for his flaws and failings. This is the ultimate culmination of an arc where Sonic is made to confront his fears for the safety of everyone around him.

(I prommy theres much better panels from this artist his late style is just uggy sorry).

Does any other Super form do that??? Do they push Normal Sonic in any story to be a better person? Do they add anything As A Sonic? Do they get adopted by magic hippies and work as a barista?? Do they contain the epic duality of committing so many killings and also being a little birthday boy cmaahnn its his birthday you wouldnt hit him on his birthday? Obviously no. Fleet's infamous for being the twisted freaking sickopath Super Sonic but he's not just a comic-canon creepypasta he's a CHARACTER he's INTERESTING and hes soooo small :) Surprise Ebony hug. Thank you <3

#i cannot even begin to get into the exit:sonic line abt there never was such a person as super sonic we'll be here all day #fleetway super sonic #long post #myaa #id in alt text #babyboy

[thefirstpaleontologist]

OFMD S2E8 SPOILERS

Right so. Izzy is my favourite character. And I don’t mind when characters die. I think if it adds to the story and is a good end for their personal story arc then it can be the best choice. But. I didn’t really like how they chose to go about it.

the story gave him a redemption. he protected the crew and suffered and tried to kill himself. he apologised and was apologised to. he changed and grew and found love and family. he had the respect of his friends and crew, the pirate nation as a whole, and even his enemies. He had the chance to give a speech about the purpose of piracy and a chance to say goodbye to Ed.

Logically this should have meant that his death should have been. Idk like not fine but gratifying.

But for some reason it didn’t feel like that? Usually if a character I like dies I’m some mix of “this is devastating, shouting at the screen, how could this happen” and “holy shit my fav guy is getting so much attention and is narratively important and will get so much fix it fic about them”. But with this i was kinda just like “wait what”.

And I think the reasons for this is because

1. I didn’t think the show would go that far. I personally wasn’t expecting any of the main characters to die. Like ACTUALLY die. This is the show that had Lucius miraculously survive being thrown over board, had stede find his marooned crew on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean, Izzy survived his leg being cut off and was walking on a new prosthetic immediately after, Ed had a canon ball bashed on his head and came away with literally no bruises despite apparently dying… For the muppet cartoon rules to suddenly not apply was jarring. But I suppose Izzy has always operated more in the real world than the rest of the cast.

2. the whole episode was rushed. The pacing was very quick and a lot of stuff happened without much time to process. Having a character die in the last episode means we didn’t get to see much of the other characters responding to it. This isn’t the shows fault cause it was originally meant to have 10 eps but still. i don’t feel it was given the appropriate amount of weight that it should have.

3. Izzy didn’t go down fighting in an epic battle. He didn’t die protecting those he cared about. He was hit by an idiots lucky shot and bled out. Izzy is the first main character to die. He was someone that by the end carried the same narrative importance as Stede and Ed. This is just a personal pet peeve but I think his cause of death should have been hard earned.

4. giving an angry miserable character a redemption and letting them find community and happiness only to then. die. is just very sad. Especially coming from a show that before this has been mostly very kind to its characters and audience.

That said, I think a lot of this can be resolved in s3. I think it is very likely that Izzy will remain in spirit in s3, through flashbacks or hallucinations or dreams etc as we have seen utilised for other characters, and we will see more of Stede and Ed and the crews grief (akin to how the goth crew reacted to Ed shooting Izzy at the start of the season). Izzy’s death isn’t meant to be a punishment for either himself or the audience. And I think the main issue was just a lack of time to flesh it out.

tl;dr: The show usually operates on muppet world rules so to have a main character actually die was unexpected. Since the final episode was rushed the appropriate weight could not be given to such a narratively significant characters death. the fact that izzy did not get to go down fighting or protecting others meant it felt kind of random and unnecessary. And having a show that is usually very kind to it’s characters and audience kill off a character right when they’d finally changed and found community kind of feels like a betrayal. BUT having both first mates (buttons and izzy) “leave” is likely symbolically significant to Ed and Stedes development. And the show will likely give due attention to Izzy’s death in s3.

#Izzy hands #ofmd s2 #ofmd season 2 #ofmd spoilers #ofmd s2e8

[transexualpirate]

JOHN WINCHESTER?

STUPID IDIOT MOTHERFUCKING JOHN WINCHESTER GOD DAMN FOOL STUPID HUNTER DUST EATING RAT OLD BASTARD SHITHEAD IDIOT SOLD HIS SOUL TO A WHORE BIGGEST CLOWN IN THE CIRCUS LAUGHED RIGHT OUT OF TOWN COWBOY MOTHERFUCKING JOHN WINCHESTER

STOP PINNING ME WHEN I TALK ABOUT JOHN WINCHESTER I HATE HIM SO MUCH WHY DOES HE HAVE SO MANY FUCKED UP JOURNALS WHY DID HE DECIDE TO FUCK AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST IS HE DEAD IS HE A BASTARD MAN HAS SUCH A VISCERAL AFFECT ON ME NOT EVEN IN THE ROOM AND I KNOW HES GROWING THE WORLDS SHITTIEST BEARD GET AWAY FROM ME

if i wanted to get into heaven and god said john winchester is waiting inside i would piss on gods feet for the sole purpose of getting sent back down

if i have to deal with supernatural treating john winchester like a traumatized baby not only will i pause the show i will EAT the remote and destroy my fucking tv out of spite and have to rewatch the entire series again for the experience of being able to skip all the times when he is mentioned or alive

you dont understand i hate him so much. he abused all three of his children then made their trauma about him lied to sam all his life tried to get dean to kill him left the boys alone at dirty motels all their childhood manipulated dean for decades and somehow still got a redemption arc

he doesnt even have some fucked up backstory to explain this hes just a man who lost his wife and decided to make it their kid's problems im going ham

he BETTER have had a eternity of torture in hell. inflicting pain in john winchester is alastair's sole redeeming quality cuz if he didnt im going to torture him myself i SWEAR

he has so little episodes in which hes vaguely mentioned by what is supposed to maybe be his children (but they're bobby's) and i lost it

where the fuck is john winchester if hes still alive im going to so deeply wish he wasnt

crusty old man

ill punch john and his sad frail old man twig bones will simply flake apart under my epic huge meat fist and he will disintegrate until all thats left is one final journal he kept on him at all times simply titled Now You Fucked Up in a southern accent trust me

im not breathing im hyperventilating at this point

i hope theres a date given for when john died or will die so i can make it a reminder on my phone

everyday once a year i will see it and do anything but pay respects to the man who had so many fucked up kids and traumatized every single one

#john winchester #my actual nemesis #im not normal about this man #mine #not to be taken seriously #personal #spn #supernatural #jurgen leitner #jurgen leitner rant

[sweetpastillas]

ahaha i just watched MoM :)

here are my fresh thoughts on it

visually, the film is stunning. the thing about doctor strange films is that the film production is absolutely allowed to go ham with the cinematography. mystical shit, bitch, absolutely weird. it was why the first was my favorite, and why i anticipated this one (probably not as much as i did for nwh, but what can i say lmao spiderman funny i am tired college freshman epic !!!)

like some of my favorite shots or scenes were definitely homages to horror films. the reflection/mirror dimension parts going for the ring, and the tunnel chase scene being what i think is an homage to the shining (?). a lot of those are scattered throughout MoM, and i thought those were really cool. thank u mr raimi

however

plot-wise? not good.

uhhh

lemme just narrow it down to some points,

wherein the screenwriters, evidently,:

did NOT pick up on the nuances of stephen and christine's pre-canon lovers-to-friends arc in his first film

surely, only solely watched the what if? series to put in the concept of strange feeling more romantic love than he actually did in the mcu (to be fair, ol' cabbagepatch really sells it well, it's the VA expertise in him)

did NOT watch wandavision,

OR took away from it the idea that wanda only became a... questionably redeemable villain. yknow, after she took down a witch who would only hoard and harness her powers to herself without the guarantee of westview being set free

ignored the fact that wanda herself imposed seclusion and self-exile after westview, because That is how she learned to let go and so that she wouldnt hurt anyone anymore

DEFINITELY ignored the fact that people like monica, darcy, and jimmy acknowledged that she was at the peak of her grief, and knew she was ultimately good underneath all of that

kinda forgot about billy and tommy's powers, and how if they had used them against the scarlet witch in defense by the end, it would likely still make the point they wanted it to

uhhh once again denied a character who has suffered throughout her life even the tiniest sliver of a redemption arc OR real mental help that can be talked about. she doesnt visibly come out of there alive, there's no small seconds of her facing justice but getting proper healing and adjustment that she needed. they literally said that the darkhold (if i am spelling it right, edits abound) corrupts the user. ok, and as the scarlet witch, a literal nexus being, one of the most powerful people out there, couldnt be given the chance to gradually overcome that by the end?,, what is the point of establishing her as a key figure if she justs becomes the big bad to be vanquished at the end of the day?

also lol skipped over mordo being "the guy that tries to kill doctor strange every now and again", like he didnt have a large role in the first film

and many other weak points that may come to mind later on

so, basically, you mean to tell me that throughout all of wanda maximoff's life in the mcu, she never gets another channel for her grief, and that is how exactly she dies? her story doesn't become one of those that essentially say, you get to carve your own destiny and your position or actions or whatever people say dont make you completely evil. no, no, it doubles down on the fact that she's a wicked woman, or turned into one because she lost her kids.

also its crazy because.. idk if it's the angry wanda stan in me right now just after watching the movie, but i cannot remember what stephen's role was. was his arc set on becoming the guardian and mentor for america chavez? was it another lesson for him on how actions have consequences and so does his pride? or was it solely hinged on love and want for christine? hm. he's the titular character.

great cg tho thats what im saying, and all these actors still bring all theyve got to the table despite the weak script.

honestly, way back at the beginning before more details of the film's production were announced, i thought mordo would be the antagonist. y'know, because they alluded to that in the first film's end credits scenes AND because he just is in the comics. like he'd do something or find a way to fuck up sorcerers and magic in the multiverse, because he literally said "no more sorcerers" or smth like that after his disillusionment with the ancient one, so it would be up to a doctor strange/scarlet witch teamup to stop him. and ofc wanda and stephen could have their debate on who's more villainized and why, but still have them be on the same ground. you would expect wanda to be tempted by mordo, with the promise of her children or universes where she's with them and her husband and her brother, but she wouldnt be the total rushed villain and redemption would at least still be on the table. stuff like that, yknow.

:))

but no. that is not what happened, indeed.

(altho john krasinski as reed richards is cool in concept. it fits, and id like to see more of him in that role ngl.

sir patrick stewart as professor x... definitely done dirty with his quick death [as is the case with all members of the illuminati, why are they in charge if they can get taken out like that] but otherwise extremely cool to show his impact And his powers. you could feel that he's got the heart when he went into wanda's mind for a bit. i personally havent watched the x-men films in his and sir ian mckellen's era, and yet somehow because ive got flashes of knowing about it from childhood i get to feel like ive missed him. thats fun)

so did i enjoy it? kinda, yea. a 6-7/10

would i watch it again? only for the sheet music battle scene because i want to properly hear the soundtrack to see how it fits the moment.

otherwise, no. i'd rather rewatch the first doctor strange film, wandavision, and any other fan fix-its.

#multiverse of madness #multiverse of madness spoilers #wanda maximoff #doctor strange #doctor strange multiverse of madness #mcu #lord am i gonna sleep today #i cant believe this film made me regret not doing my homework instead #scarlet witch #wandavision #fresh thoughts out here

[minijenn]

Jen Tortures Herself With Every Dreamworks Animated Movie Ever: Shrek 2

So I haven't seen this movie in years and having just rewatched it, I can safely say, this movie invented comedy. Hands down.

Seriously though, what can be said about Shrek 2 that hasn't already been said? It's iconic, in every sense of the word, maybe even more of a meme factory than the original Shrek was. And yet even aside from being one of the funniest animated movies ever made (more on that in a bit), it's also just a really good and compelling story that hits all the right spots and really continues building on this world and these characters in an excellent way.

We kick off right after the first movie, with Shrek and Fiona freshly married and heading to Far Far Away to meet Fiona's parents. Throw in some family tension, the deviously delighful (milf) that is Fairy Godmother and her little bitch boy of a son Prince Charming, the ever debonaire Puss in Boots, and you have a movie that's an all time hood classic.

The jokes in this are so raw and so damn funny. Like the union bit and the police brutality joke? This damn movie was ahead of its time oh my god. Even outside of the humor though, the story itself is really good and does a great job helping you connect even more with the characters than the first movie did. Shrek especially, I feel like this one develops him even more, and you get to see just what lengths he'd go to for Fiona. It's honestly really sweet (and human Shrek is jacked wtf).

The rest of the cast is also great. Fiona may not get as much screentime here, but she's still a lot of fun. Donkey is a bit less annoying here than he was in the first movie, and the new additions like Puss in Boots are superb, there's a reason they gave that crazy lil cat his own franchise ya'll.

You also get a pretty interesting redemption arc for Fiona's dad, King Harold, who I just realized is the frog prince??? Like am I stupid or something for never knowing that before now??? Damn. Fairy Godmother is a FANTASTIC villain who gets to headline what may be one of the most epic climaxes in any animated ever (seriously, the I Need a Hero scene is pure HYPE). Speaking of music, the soundtrack is great just like the last movie's, with I Need a Hero being the highlight because oh my god ya'll, she slays it.

The animation definately got a bit more tuned up for this one too. The character models are much stronger and less... plasticy, I suppose is the right word, and the way they move is much more natural and fluid. The world itself is also given a lot more personality. I love how Far Far Away is basically just LA. That's such a fun little inside joke I never got as a kid.

As a whole, Shrek 2 is a fantastic movie. There's this trend we're gonna notice with Dreamworks trilogies where the first movie is great, the second movie is the best thing ever, and the third movie is either still really great (HTTYD3 and Kung Fu Panda 3) or the most confusing, what the fuck happened here thing ever (Shrek the Third). But we'll get to those when we get to those. Just... pray for me ya'll. Cause I gotta watch Shark Tale next. Lord have mercy on my soul.

Overall Rating: 9/10

Verdict: Get some dental insurance

Previous Review (Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas)

Next Review (Shark Tale)

#jen watches #dreamworks watch #shrek 2 #shrek #jen tortures herself with every dreamworks animated movie ever

[liesmyth]

So I was thinking about this discussion about Moash’s arc vs. Dalinar, specifically the argument by @kunaiman that Moash refuses to take responsibility for his own actions in a series that is all about acknowledging past wrongs and finally growing as a person.

As I said in the other post, I actually agree with the point that it’s not about who did the most evils, but about how you handle it. Like, this is not a war tribunal, we’re discussing character arcs in a fantasy series! But because I’m approaching it as a fantasy series and looking at it doylistically, then I will say that I find Dalinar’s character arc lacking, and at the same time Moash is never given a fair chance in the story.

Dalinar: look, the guy faces basically zero consequences for anything he has done. He waged a war of conquest for purely personal reasons, committed war crimes, and suffered no consequences for it, either politically or personally. He holds a lot of remorse and that IS a good thing about Dalinar (and a core tenet of the series in general) but also: Dalinar is in a position of immense social privilege. It’s pretty easy to be a good person when you are rich and powerful, esteemed by your family and subordinates, chosen one of a demigod entity. As a reader, it made me deeply unsatisfied. Dalinar is the narrative’s designated Leader. Every time his name is brought up, characters clamour to talk about how cool he is. He commands respect. Even the people who dislike him have some grudging praise. His sons worship him even after it comes out that he caused the death of their mother – and the entire thing is swept off the carpet! off-screen! in between books! Dalinar has his big moment of admitting to atrocities and that’s it, all is cleansed. Like, I wasn’t expecting drawn-out emotional conflicts or chapters upon chapters of Dalinar grovelling (inefficient; also boring). I actually really like that the latter books are so fast-paced with so many things happening that we can barely keep track; this is epic-scale fantasy and we’re gearing up for the big show. Real wartime is all about making compromises and just keeping it together… but that is NOT how the books treat Dalinar. No one in his camp is thinking “this guy isn’t great but he's the best we’ve got in this emergency”. His children aren’t just pretending they’re over their mother’s death just to show unity – they genuinely are over it. He’s not a “lesser of two evils” wartime leader, he’s Roshar Jesus. He keeps feeling bad he did bad things, and everyone around him is all “it doesn’t matter! You’re good now!” Everyone forgave him the instant the narrative deemed him forgivable; he carries his burdens but everyone forgot about it. One big moment and then it all fizzles out. It’s not a good redemption arc – and I’m not even sure if the narrative even THINKS Dalinar had to be redeemed. At times I get the impression that his past atrocities are just window dressing for his backstory, old demons he has to defeat, like a superhero with a dead wife in his past who was never a real person to the story. Dalinar’s crimes barely hold weight in the narrative because the big redemption washes them clean – sometimes I don’t get the sense that they mattered.

By contrast, Moash. He does bad things. He was also dealt far, far shittier cards in life that Dalinar ever did. His big evil moment was a crime of passion: wanting to kill a guy who not only represents the apex of the very system that marginalizes him but also personally had a hand in the death of his family (I say this as an Elokhar fan). So yeah. He goes against Kaladin, he fails; he’s left friendless and alone and with very few options beyond falling in further with bad people, doing more bad things etc. but – what were his alternatives? Unlike Dalinar, he didn’t have a princedom or a loving family or an important destiny waiting for him. He has been personally wronged by the justice system multiple times. Pre-Kholinar, literally, how can he know he won’t be killed on the spot if he makes it to the Plains (Kaladin’s words? He saw Kaladin thrown in a cell before). What other options does he have if not the Fused? Post-Kholinar, well. He’s infamous. Even if he redeems, what does he have waiting for him? Again: only Kaladin, but Kaladin cares for Dalinar just as much. It’s not enough. And so Moash keeps digging himself down further.

To make it clear: I’m not absolving Moash of anything he’s done. He absolutely had a choice multiple times and he consistently refused to go back even given many chances. His whole arc is a massive sunk-cost fallacy, but it’s also about alienation and disenfranchisement as much as it’s about rage. Unfortunately, Brandon Sanderson misses the part about disenfranchisement because he doesn’t realize the implications of the social dynamics in the world he created. I don’t say this as a snub: he does some things very well (emotional scenes, pivotal character moments). He also does some things very badly: his focus on the characters as individuals completely fails to engage with the characters as a product of their environment, something that is true in real life and should be true if you want a well-rounded character in a story arc about redemption or lack thereof.

The story doesn’t acknowledge the fact that Moash’s is a direct product of the society he lives in, and treats his morally bad actions as if they came about in a vacuum. It’s a lot easier to say “you can do better and you should, you have the power to change, redeem, and grow” about Dalinar, who’s been metaphorically sitting on a tower in the clouds long before it became factual, than someone like Moash, whose (morally bad!) actions are a direct consequence of his disenfranchised position in society and the (completely justified) bitterness he feels. Neither the characters OR the narrative have at any point acknowledged that maybe, just maybe, there would have been no Moash if the people in power had been a bit more humane. That is a massive blind spot in a character arc that is all about how a man is irredeemable because he refuses to let go of the resentment that corrupted him.

#stormlight archive #moash #dalinar kholin #the stormlight archive #cosmere #long post #narrative themes #at some point this stopped being a response and started being a note from me to me about why that guy deserves a chance #i wrote this for me etc. #sanderson critical #i mean a lil bit

[mirambles]

Tere Bin in 45 mins (Part 2)

Part 1 here before you read this post.

6. Mere saath hi lagalo dil (The voice and eyes - biggest draw for me in any actor)

7. His solo realisation scene is where I was dead sure this guy is one hell of an actor and I was crushing hard, leading me to check out most of his dramagraphy.

8. Jab sukun se bore ho jau, bata de na, aa jaonga

9. A predictable but pivotal point comes in their relationship where they get into a car accident (his doing), but he puts himself in danger to save her. His confession to her after a series of misunderstandings was far more powerful than a ‘I love you’

10. The quintessential move the hair from the cheek scene 😄

Where the show hits rock bottom and stops making sense:

This is where the writer should have started showing Meerab softening towards him, maybe some more angst where she fights her mind with her heart, but after this, the show went downhill in an illogical sequence after sequence - which I can no longer waste my time on! If you catch just their scenes post E20 you will be left wondering what is going on 😂

Anyways - one bonus scene post E20 where we get Murtasim saying a cheesy line. I have no idea why I love this scene so much 😂 Maybe cause it reminded me of ZGH tea scene. No comparison though, ZGH one was epic. In that scene Fawad does magic with his eyes and in this one Wahaj with his deep, husky voice.

Where I stand with the show:

Murtasim had the makings of a Darcy, purely cause of how Wahaj has portrayed this role - he has just the right amount of swag and panache. Wahaj is extremely versatile without a doubt, but his biggest plus point is how well he emotes the feeling of being in love. Obviously, the writer did not have the Darcy vision, so the writing of Murtasim was a bit toxic in the initial episodes and some red flags emerged on and off in later episodes which were inconsistent given his character’s growth.

Yumna and Wahaj have undeniably great chemistry, but as the scenes progress you realise Meerab being cold to Murtasim’s growing feelings becomes kill joy after a point. The writer and director have missed the opportunity to tap the potential of these two actors, especially Wahaj who could romance a stone and still melt our hearts! Yumna (from her other drama I am watching with Wahaj) is very comfortable and good in soft & emotional scenes (as evident in the post accident scene). I would have loved to see Meerab softening towards Murtasim’s genuine efforts, her heart and mind battling towards her growing feelings for him, confession and then them settling into marital bliss. But the writer has pushed the audience into an abyss of illogical sub-plots and conniving,obsessive cousin that make no sense. The writer has done so much harm to Meerab’s character to the point that her redemption arc will take some doing.

So in summary , if you haven’t yet started the show but are wondering what the fuss is about, I would suggest don’t waste your time watching the entire show. Just read these two posts and scenes that are probably worth spending your 45 mins on this show just to watch the excellent Wahaj Ali as Murtasim and his fine chemistry with Yumna Zaidi as Meerab.

P.S: Thank me later 😉

#wahaj ali #yumnazaidi #murtasim x meerab #murtasim khan #murtasim #tere bin #pakistani drama #romance

[tamras-shieldmaiden]

Heyo again! So... for this second request, tell me about Korra!

Alright! Let's talk about our series protagonist, Avatar Korra! 

1: sexuality headcanon 

The series finale marked an important milestone in animated history by giving Korra a canonical same-sex romantic partner which provided much-needed positive queer representation in children’s television and television in general. Because of this, it’s not much of a headcanon to agree that Korra is a bisexual woman. My headcanon is that she is very attracted to strong, smart, competent green-eyed, dark-haired women.😏 Fandom tends to portray her as a bottom but I personally think she’s more of a switch with strong service top leanings.  

2: otp 

My OTP is Korra/Kuvira and I also really like the idea of an OT3 with Korra, Asami, and Kuvira. (Korrasami stans please don’t come at me!) The Enemies to friends to lovers trope works so well here and combined with a Kuvira redemption arc it’s just chef’s kiss. I still find it quite amusing how one of Korra’s most emotional and softest moments happens when she finds herself with Kuvira in the Spirit World. If you have to blame someone for this ship, blame the animators and the writers for having given us this image that screams ship all over:

Get yourself someone who would look at you the way Korra is looking at Kuvira

3: brotp 

Her BROTPs are Bolin and Kya. Kya is the elder mentor who not only is queer and from the Southern Water Tribe like her, but she also has a direct connection to the Avatar and therefore, knows of the burdens and expectations of having to live with the legacy of the position. 

4: notp 

Korra as the MC has inevitably been shipped with pretty much everyone so I’ve seen some really weird pairings but for the life of me, I can’t wrap my mind around Korra/Amon, Korra/Tarrloq and Korra/Amon/Tarrloq. It just doesn’t compute, and this is from someone who understands the appeal of the enemies to lovers trope, but this one, ugh, nope. 

5: first headcanon that pops into my head 

This is not so much headcanon as it is an extrapolation from the series and comics but Korra is not only strong and athletic, but she’s a very outdoorsy Avatar and enjoys roughing it out. She’s an excellent navigator and sailor and even without her bending, she would be able to survive in the outdoors just by her skills alone.  Every year, she would take a break from training in the Southern Water Tribe compound to go camping with dad Tonraq and best girl Naga where they would hunt and fish and learn all the proper skills a member of the Water Tribes should know. 

6: favorite line from this character 

“Still think I’m a half-baked Avatar?” 

From Book One, When Extremes meet

7: one way in which I relate to this character

I think I can relate to being underestimated as she constantly was.

8: thing that gives me secondhand embarrassment about this character 

The love triangle. That was an epic mess.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?

Cinnamon roll (who can kill you) 100% 🤣

#headcanon ask game #character ask game #ask game #headcanons #the legend of korra #legend of korra #tlok #lok #korra #avatar korra #asami sato #kuvira #korvira #korvirasami #bolin #kya

[jacscorner]

It’s funny to me how Kishimoto could never top the Sasuke Recovery Arc-at least, to me, he couldn’t. This, in my opinion, is peak Naruto. Not because Naruto or the others are at their peak, but because it combines all I love about the series:

Strategic planning and subterfuge.

Teamwork.

Moments of relationship dynamics between the squad.

And the epic 1v1 battles where much weaker characters have to fight older, more experienced ninja with crazier powers and have to survive with a mix of wit, surprise, and sheer determination.

Even though the mission ended in failure, I love this so much. I love the moments where we see the boys (minus Neji) were troublemakers at school, planting this small friendship already (and I love how Naruto and Neji, who were once rivals with different points of view have to come together for the sake of the mission). 

I kinda wish Naruto moving forward, Naruto went more in this direction, with Naruto going in Five-Man Squads with the other members of Konoha 11 (or 12 if we live in the bizarro fanfic universe where the mission was a success, lol) and we got to show off the other members of Naruto's age group. Maybe would've given them a few more moments to shine. Could've even given Sasuke a redemption arc and given him and Sakura some ACTUAL chemistry.

#Sasuke Recovery Arc #JAC Chat #Naruto #Naruto Uzumaki #Choji Akimichi #Kiba Inuzuka #Shikamaru Nara #Neji Hyuga

[jadelotusflower]

Stargate rewatch: 1x15 Cor-ai

Society of many hats! I love a society of many hats.

This world is interesting because the population are not enslaved by the Goa'uld, rather it's regularly raided for hosts. The implication being it's not under the dominion of any particular system lord, but set aside for the purpose of harvesting hosts by multiple Goa’uld - perhaps Kendra's planet was the same?

The language is a Latin and Greek derivation - likely that this society was originally founded by the Ancients?

This episode was written by Tom J Aste, and while it was his only Stargate effort, he would go on to write screenplays for the Get Smart remake, romcom Failure to Launch, and animated films Epic and Home.

Also notable as the final SG-1 episode directed by Mario Azzopardi, who loves nothing more than an overhead shot like the above.

Hanno is played by David McNally who will show up again in different roles later on, including on Atlantis. I think this is his best.

Pretty impressive that Teal’c can actually remember killing Hanno’s father just by seeing his crutch - it happened at least ten years prior to the episode if not more, which implies it stuck with Teal’c.

“Only the person who has suffered understands the pain that has been inflicted. Who else could fairly say what the punishment must be?” I like the cultural differences explored in this episode. This viewpoint is anathema to Jack when the person being judged is his friend, although it’s one that he has more sympathy with when he’s the one upon whom the suffering has been inflicted.

“What I did while serving Apophis I will not hide from.” I wouldn't describe Teal'c as having a redemption arc in the show, but like Xena the cornerstone of his character is seeking to right the terrible wrongs he committed prior to the show. This underscores everything Teal'c does, and the character arc comes not from him seeking forgiveness or redemption, but rather a commitment to serve a greater good, although that is sometimes (as we'll see in later seasons) at odds with his personal desire for revenge.

This is something not only Teal’c will struggle with, but Jack and Daniel as well. Put a pin in this concept, we’ll revisit it later.

This is a great episode not only for Teal’c, but for Jack as well. He projects a little on Teal’c given his own past in black ops, but we understand his pov in adhering to the chain of command and seeing Teal’c as the man he is now and not the man he once was. We also appreciate Teal’c’s perspective that he has victims in his past and those deeds aren’t washed away by the good he does now, and isn’t going to try and avoid retribution if it is demanded of him.

This is reflected ten years down the line in one of my favourite Teal’c moments of the entire show, when in Arc of Truth he tells Tomin: “Nothing I have done since turning against the Goa’uld will make up for the atrocities I once committed in their name…You will never forgive yourself. Accept it…Fight for others that may be saved through your effort. That is the least you can do.”

The least Teal’c can do, or at least he feels he can do in this episode, is refuse to run and accept whatever punishment Hanno decrees. The least Jack can do is everything in his power to prevent that from happening. We don’t often see Jack and Teal’c at odds, this is a fantastic scene.

Both RDA and Teal’c brought their A game this episode.

“Yeah, Teal’c helped kidnap my wife but totes feels bad about it now” is hardly the sterling defence Daniel and Jack seem to think it is.

“It was difficult for me at first, I wanted to hate him.” Huh, you wouldn’t know it from the second episode.

We get another insight from Arc of Truth reflected back here: “Others may try to convince you that they have forgiven you. That is more about them than you.” How much of Daniel forgiving Teal’c is necessity and how much is true friendship? The former that merges into the later as time goes on, but I wonder if a part of Daniel’s friendship, at this point, is predicated on Teal’c helping him in the search for Sha’re. He explicitly says he knows that Teal��c would do anything, even give up his own life, to help save her.

The dramatic irony apparent only on rewatch is that while it’s certainly true Teal’c would give up his own life for Sha’re’s, he’s not willing to give up Daniel’s life. And while Daniel does eventually forgive Teal’c for that too, it’s also true that forgiveness is more about Daniel than Teal’c.

This character is credited only as Byrsa Woman, but I really enjoy her, there’s a sweet fragility that underscores the precarious lives of the Byrsa. The actress is Tabitha St Germsin aka the voice of Rarity from My Little Pony!

Again I like the differing perspectives on justice and justification - for SG-1 Teal’c’s choice to kill Hanno’s father is mitigating, to kill one to save the rest, and kill the injured so during the next raid they all might get away. But for the Byrsa, who would not leave anyone behind when they flee, it’s even worse because he chose to kill the weakest and most helpless. Teal'c's morality revolves around doing the least evil and the greatest good, while for the Byrsa it's all or nothing - "we all go, or none of us do."

Hammond: “The United States is not in the business of interfering in other people’s affairs” Jack: 🤨 Sam: 🤨 Jack: “Since when, sir?” Iconic! Evergreen.

What is Teal’c’s legal status anyway? Refugee? Does he get a salary? Hammond does make a good point that Teal’c is essentially a war criminal, however hypocritical that stance in the grand tradition of Operation Paperclip.

All of this upright moral standing will be forgotten by the time of Stargate Atlantis when they’re war criming all over the Pegasus galaxy. Hell, it won’t even last until next season when the SGC (save our team) is hell bent exploiting indigenous land rights.

“I have spent a lot of years in the service of my country, and I have been ordered to do some damn distasteful things. I will not allow them to execute my friend.” I’m surprised this one got past the Airforce vett! Jack once again identifying with/projecting onto Teal’c.

Our old friend Shak’l from The Nox leads Apophis’s raiding party. What exactly does he need new hosts for so soon?

Hanno tells a young boy that if he dies, to inform those remaining he still wants the sentence carried out - this boy then hands the knife to Teal’c to cut his bonds. Was the boy swayed by the team’s arguments or did he just see it as the best option? A nice touch either way.

And Shak’l gets Shank'ed, then Teal’c yeets himself across the room to take out another Jaffa, getting shot in the process.

Teal’c apologises as he stabs Shak’l - a reminder that this was once his protege, someone who he would have preferred to convert, not kill, but while the Jaffa pose a threat to others he has to make the hard choice, the lesser evil, as he did when he killed Hanno’s father. Except this time it is truly his choice, his own free will according to his own morality.

Hanno spares Teal’c by the same logic the team proposed - that Teal’c is not the same man, a neat way to give deference to the argument, but also retain the Byrsa sense of justice. He doesn’t forgive Teal’c for killing his father, instead he reframes it that Teal’c killed the Jaffa who killed his father.

SG-1 offers their help, which Hanno accepts, and they become one of the many alliances relegated to offscreenville.

Teal’c gets a shoulder pat!

Nicely played moment by Judge - relieved but overwhelmed, he does so much by doing so little.

This is an underrated episode! The first to really focus on Teal'c, and there's some great character development for him and his relationship with Jack and the team.

#stargate sg-1 #stargate rewatch #1x15 cor-ai #teal’c #jack o'neill

[surprisebitch]

Finished Atlantis! I really enjoyed it, and it felt like the biggest adventure yet.

One of the strongest points, I'd say, is Jason's redemption arc. I enjoyed seeing him become the leader he truly is and reflect on his past failures. Like I was expecting some joke character, but he turned out to be more than that, and I enjoyed his comedic and sincere moments. I was also impressed to see him devise a grand plan against Odysseus. I also appreciated the spotlight on some other characters like Chiyome, Charlotte, Paris, and Bartholomew. The montage at the end was amazing and it really made me appreciate their sacrifices.

Another thing I enjoyed was some drip of the Iliad. I thought it was a nice touch to see Achilles make an appearance, and there were some nice twists. The pacing was also on point, despite the fact that it spanned 26 chapters.

Although, it's not free from criticisms. First, I wish there was more focus on the Iliad. This would have been the perfect opportunity to introduce Patroclus or give us a chance to see Berserker Achilles. It was frustrating to see the writers dance around this and seemingly ignore Patroclus, possibly because of his relationship with Achilles. I don't know how the writers manage to include Chiron, Hector, while ignoring Pat.. like is it deliberate or do they have other plans.. Either way, I would rather they not add Pat as a summonable servant if he will get genderbent tbh.

My other issue was with Orion and Artemis. While they were undoubtedly a highlight, their love story felt forced, especially given Artemis's sapphic background. I appreciate Orion's character, but the trope of an abusive relationship in their Proper Human History version is just not appealing.. but I guess there were cute moments here. I just feel like a different direction more focused on the Iliad could have been taken IMO.

TL;DR: Atlantis was epic with plenty of twists and character development. While it's not without its flaws (lost potential to explore Achilles' relationship with Patroclus being one), it's definitely a great lostbelt chapter.

#fgo #fate grand order #atlantis

[svartalfhild]

Svar Watches BBC Robin Hood for the First Time - Season 3

Some of you may have seen my reactions to Season 1 and Season 2, well, here's the epic conclusion:

Well I can tell you right off the bat that the production, especially the costumes, have gotten a major glow-up, holy shit.

Damn we're starting off in a dark place. I mean, I guess I expected that, but even so.

It's been 5 minutes and I already miss Will and Djaq.

Guy is so unhinged now and it hurts my heart, but it's so interesting to watch. Also, the costuming glow-up and Armitage doing his thing means that Guy is now, in some respects, even hotter than before. For this to really get out of hand for me, though, he has to get a good redemption arc. That would just be top👌tier👌shit👌. I have no goddamn clue how that could happen at this point, though. Won't hold my breath.

So now that Marian is fucking dead and Djaq is off having her happily ever after with Will, I'm guessing Tuck is going to be the new voice of reason.

Ohoho Guy going Fuck Everything Actually But Especially The Sheriff And Also My Life with maximum emo is fucking zesty.

I like Kate. Her being a love interest for Much is a bit out of left field, but I could be into it if the narrative does the work to sell it.

Man, the real villain in this show is toxic masculinity.

I love how every time a recurring female character is grieving, Little John is like "hello, I'm your emotional support giant".

Lara Pulver???? Fuck yeah!

Holy shit she's Guy's sister????? And she's Robin's new love interest???? That's a spicy meatball.

Gotta say, Guy, being shitty to your sister is rapidly losing you attractiveness points.

OH MY GOD GUY ACTUALLY GOT TO STAB THE SHERIFF I AM LIVING YES BITCH KILL YOUR ABUSER!!!!

Aw dunk he's still alive. Boo. Well, either way, Guy has fallen out of the hands of one abuser into another, who has even more power.

Toby Stephens as Prince John is brilliant. He's so flighty and detestable. And pathetic in the way that only rich men are. This is reminding me of the tantrums of the bird app destroyer.

So I see from Isabella's behaviour with Robin that getting overly attached to the first person who's nice to them is a Gisborne family trait. Also going all super backstabby survival mode when they get put in a tight spot.

Meg is fucking great and I am so here for the women-supporting-women of her introduction. I want her to be besties with Isabella, even though Isabella is duplicitous af (albeit kinda understandably so).

So, uh, fuck Thornton. It was bad enough hearing from Isabella that he's awful, but now that we get to see him, I am absolutely revolted.

Oh, oh, I love watching Meg call Guy the fuck out for his, well, everything, and he just has to sit there and take it cause they're in prison. Get his ass, girl.

Wait...oh my god...oh my god IS GUY ACTUALLY GONNA HAVE A REDEMPTION ARC???? YOU'RE KIDDING HOLY SHIT POP ALL THE BOTTLES LADS

Aw...aw, Meg. I'm crying with you, Guy. T_T

The way Isabella started this season with "I'm nothing like my brother; there's nothing about him that I want to be" and then she proceeded to become exactly like her brother.

God, the cinematic parallels between Guy and Isabella are so strong and so tragic. Both abused, both prone to thinking in extremes, both trying so desperately to protect themselves and making all the wrong choices. But it's interesting how Isabella is descending into evil the same way Guy did the moment she's given a crumb of power by an evil man, while Guy is trying to be better after hitting rock bottom and getting told what's what by a mouthy peasant girl.

Kate turning out to actually be Robin's love interest is honestly a bit boring, but predictable, I suppose.

Damn, that Backstory™ episode was wild and soapy as fuck but it sure did some heavy lifting with the plot to get Robin and Guy united at last. A fucking half-brother between them named Archer. Jesus christ.

Guy's father being a leper kinda brings new context to the Sheriff derisively calling Marian a leper all of the time. Must have been a real twist in the gut every time Guy heard it.

Robin and Guy going to rescue Archer is giving Thor and Loki "get help" energy and I love it so much. More of this please.

So I see being a tricky little bastard and a romantic is something Archer shares with his siblings.

Oh my god the symbolism of Guy riding a white horse now.

Aw, Allan. T_T So it's a Boromir end for you, huh.

I'm scared to watch the finale because I just know it's going to hurt my heart somehow. Let Guy stab the Sheriff again, please?

GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUYYYYYY *INCOHERENT SCREAMING AND CRYING*

"I lived in shame, but because of you, I die proud and free." I WILL NEVER BE OKAY AGAIN!!!!!!!! T_T

Yes, blow everything the fuck up. Die, assholes.

And there goes Robin too. God, I'll just be sobbing for the next several minutes, thanks.

Thank you for coming on this journey with me. I hope you enjoyed my screaming and crying. I hope you went "ohohoho just you wait girl" every time I saw or didn't see a twist coming.

#BBC Robin Hood #Robin Hood #Svar shitposts

[ladyelain]

Am I the only one that found Vassa annoying in Acowar with how she was like “and you will help me” and hmmph’d off? Like who was she talking to like that 💀 like can they get to know you human before you start making demands to other people in power? I just don’t care for her at all yet and the sass with strangers isn’t for me. Or how she was like “your father was a great man” sis you know nothing about his neglect. Idk I just don’t want lucien having feels for someone like that he’s meant for someone a bit softer and respectful

I’m going to answer this as someone who loves both Vassa and Elain. 🌝

I am a huge Vassa fan because she’s human, she’s different, there’s something mystical about her, and I’m putting all the money I don’t have on the band of exiles to make the finale of the series epic.

I agree with you on the Lucien x Vassa part. Without really knowing her that well, their dynamic gives Feyre x Lucien vibes to me, so I wouldn’t worry much about Vassa being a threat to Elucien. The girl is too busy for being second choice.

As for the Papa Archeron dilemma, I think it wasn’t handled too well overall. His big heroic act in the end felt rather cheap and overdramatised to me. Vassa’s plot would have worked perfectly without throwing Papa Archeron into it and give him a redemption arc I didn’t really need nor cared for. Up until this day, I still don’t get what he contributed exactly. I think he’s just too little of a character to have his death play that big of a role plot-wise. Am I enjoying the fact Elain is probably dying to know all about her father’s last days with Lucien and Vassa? Absolutely, yes. It’s definitely setting up for some interesting conversations in the future. :)

Vassa’s words of condolence to Feyre felt pretty much appropriate for the situation, considering they hardly know each other. You wouldn’t go up to someone you’re just meeting and remind them how bad of a parent their father was, and Vassa isn’t really in the place to be the judge of that. I wouldn’t read too much into it.

Also, I don’t blame Vassa for bonding with Papa Archeron (if that was the case). He was good to her, I suppose, and she never got to feel familiar affection before. She didn’t grow up in a protected, harmonious environment. She never had much guidance in her life at all. And I don’t think she just blindly trusted Papa Archeron. Honestly, I don’t think she’s able to fully trust anyone.

I know this sounds lame, but she’s going through so much and she’s only just in her mid-twenties? She’s an unexperienced leader and is going to make her fair share of mistakes. Out of all the characters in positions of power, Tarquin included, Vassa is probably the last one I’d criticize. She hasn’t given much reason to, in my eyes, but obviously you don’t need any reason to personally dislike a character.

#why is this so long lol #vassa #lucien vanserra #elucien